History Lessons

History lessons is a grouping of historical stories and tidbits. The topics range from the American Civil War through interesting items from around the world. Please use the comments area to ask questions and make suggestions for future topics.

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Maine’s Original State Flag: A Comeback Story

Original Maine State flag featuring a blue north star and a green pine tree on a beige background

Maine’s current state flag is a standard blue flag with the state coat of arms in the middle. It’s a flag that can hardly be distinguished from more than a dozen other state flags with similar designs. But Maine’s state flag wasn’t always this way. More than one hundred years ago, Maine was represented by… continue

History Lessons

Grandma was a Gold Star Mother

Display of affection at a fallen war heroes grave site

By MariAgnes Malkonian Saluting my Gold Star Mother Grandmother, Agnes Cervo Stevens, who were she still alive, would be 111 years old! Grandma was tall, with blue eyes and blonde hair and I am honored to be her namesake. Agnes was many things. She was a wife and mother of four children, including my Mom-… continue

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The Liberty Flag of Schenectady

Before the American Flag as we know it was designed to represent the United States, several other flags were created to represent our country and its storied history. Many of these flags were designed with our struggles for freedom in mind, showcasing the many efforts that were made to escape British interference. Dozens of local… continue

History Lessons

History of Memorial Day

While largely accepted as the unofficial kick off to summer, Memorial Day has a much greater significance for our country and those who have served in the U.S. Military. Since the mid-1860s, Americans have gathered in late May to honor those who have given their lives in service to their country. Origin of Memorial Day… continue

History Lessons

The History of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The tradition of holding a parade on St. Patrick’s Day Parade began in its most famous annual location—New York City—where Irish soldiers brought a taste of their homeland to colonial Manhattan. Hundreds of years later, parade-watchers decked in green continue to line the city’s streets every March 17th for the popular event. The world’s first… continue